This invention relates to a removable-seal configuration for an axial end of an antifriction bearing, such as a ball bearing, wherein seal components are fixedly held by the outer bearing ring and position a seal ring in yieldable circumferentially continuous wiping contact with a sloping seal surface on the inner bearing ring.
In one known technique of effecting such a seal, the outer bearing ring has a circumferentially continuous radially inwardly open seal-retaining groove of continuously curved sectional contour between an axially inner abutment shoulder and an axial-end land. An annular seal ring of yieldable material is seated upon the sleeve and against the flange of an inwardly flanged sleeve of deformable metal, and the flange is abutted against the shoulder while the sleeve is inwardly swaged to crimp the seal ring and to outwardly deform the outer limit of the sleeve into tight location within the groove. Such a seal construction is not only not removable without damage, but it is also relatively expensive in that the swaging operation is not necessary to other techniques.
In a second known technique, the seal-retaining groove has a cylindrical bottom, between spaced flat radial sidewalls, the axially inner one of which defines a shoulder for location of component seal parts, namely, an annular backing ring, an annular seal ring of yieldable material, and a split otherwise annular end cap, the latter being inserted in the groove, flat against the outer sidewall of the groove and compressionally loading the seal ring against the backing ring. Such construction has disadvantages including the fact that it is more difficult and therefore more expensive to make the square-sided groove (as compared with a continuously curved groove), and it is difficult to remove and replace the end cap without damage (in that the end cap must be relatively thin and is thus susceptible to damage).